Albuquerque Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) [Hardcover]

Mo Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Then & Now Thunder Bay | Publication Date: November 29, 2006

Part frontier town, part cosmopolitan city, Albuquerque has a proud heritage more than 300 years in the making. Named to honor a Spanish Duke, Albuquerque is New Mexico’s largest city and the new star of the best-selling Then and Now series.

• Albuquerque has been home to Navajo Indians, a U.S. Army outpost during the Mexican-American war, a thriving wool and lumber center, and a key stop on the Atlantic-Pacific railroad line.

• Side-by-side then-and-now photographs showcase landmarks like Kistler’s department store (demolished to make way for new construction), the Old Bernalillo County Courthouse (rumored to be haunted), and the beautiful California Mission-style Alvarado Hotel, considered the finest railroad hotel of its time (it had electricity!).

• Images of San Felipe de Neri Church, the first building erected in the settlement, show how much Albuquerque has changed and how much it has stayed the same. The original adobe chapel has been enlarged and rebuilt many times, but its thick adobe walls remain.

• From Old Town across the tracks to New Town, you’ll discover a thriving, modern city filled with remarkable architecture and culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mo Palmer is a native New Mexican who has lived in Albuquerque fifty years. She holds a Masters of American Studies with concentrations in regional and local history. Mo worked at The Albuquerque Museum for fifteen years, as a volunteer, an intern, and as Photo Archivist, curating a 100,000 item historical collection. She writes a monthly history column for The Albuquerque Tribune, She teaches New Mexico History to seventh grade students at Sandia Preparatory School.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Thunder Bay Press (November 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592236553
• ISBN-13: 978-1592236558
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Travel > United States > States > New Mexico

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique material from a trusted historian, January 4, 2007

By 

pauline (Albuquerque, NM USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Albuquerque Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover)

I love reading Albuquerque history from many different sources, and I love "then" and "now" photos, and I also love reading the books that Mo Palmer recommended to my son when she was his history teacher. Well this perfect storm of affections converged this past month when my son gave me Mo Palmer's "Albuquerque Then and Now" for Christmas. This is not just another collection of stories from Albuquerque's past. Many stories tend to get repeated from one book to the next - the story of the Alvarado hotel, the early tuberculosis clinics, the early schools and UNM's early days, the Sear's fire, and so on. When you read Miss Palmer's book it would appear that it did not occur to her that she needs to cover that territory for you. It is very fresh, most of the "then" photographs were new to me, and the commentary was very enlightening to me. Much of the discussion focuses on the early communities and what they were like. I hope she will publish again soon.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing to see, full of information, December 20, 2006

By 

Mike Smith (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Albuquerque Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover)

As anyone who reads her history columns in the Albuquerque Tribune knows, Mo Palmer knows Albuquerque's history. Now, here, at last, is a book she's written on the subject, a book that probably no one else anywhere was as qualified to write.
In addition to being an area history columnist, Mo Palmer has been a photo archivist for the Museum of Albuquerque, and here, in "Albuquerque: Then and Now" she draws from all of her knowledge to create a truly valuable portrait of Albuquerque, then and now.
Every one of this book's even-numbered page features an amazing old historic photo of a notable Albuquerque landmark, and every odd-numbered page features that same landmark (or whatever took its place) today. And all of the photos are captioned with interesting and concisely written information.
Any Albuquerque area resident willing to pick up this book and take the time to flip through it will be sure to find the experience transformative and enlightening. It will amaze you just how much of Albquerque's architectural history has remained behind, and sadden you just how much some things have changed.
Buy it, read it, keep it for yourself as reference and a reminder, or give it as a gift to friends in the Albuquerque area, or to friends who you want to have visit you here.

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to get interested in., June 2, 2009

By 

J. D. Palmer (Albuquerque) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Albuquerque Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay) (Hardcover)

This is the type of book that you can read when you just have a few moments, but it kept me turning the pages longer. Mo Palmer (norelation) really chose some great sites for the then and now photos. The "now" photographs are taken from near same perspective as the "then" shots so it is easier to envision the changes. The text is also revealing, in some cases telling me stories the photo misses. If you are from New Mexico, this is a rich history book, well-worth the price of admission into it's fascinating pages.